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The Minister of Works and Housing, Samuel Atta Akyea has decried Ghana’s growing housing deficit, which he said hovered around 1.7 million.

He has subsequently, directed all Regional Coordinating Councils to collaborate with chiefs to identify lands for Government to liaise with private developers to erect affordable housing to address the shortfall.

He said Government was committed to partnering the private sector to build affordable housing for workers for secured pensions plan but needed litigation free lands to make the vision a reality.

Mr Atta Akyea said this when he paid a courtesy call on the Central Regional Minister as part of a day’s working tour to the Elmina Emergency Sea defence project site on Tuesday.

The Minister was accompanied by his two Deputies, Mrs Freda Prempeh and Mr Eugene Antwi prospectively together with the directors of works, Finance and audit of the Ministry.

“Available housing data at the ministry shows a housing deficit of 1.7 million. We have to take quality steps to close that, the region must make lands available to help us put up houses for the people”. The Minister said.

We have to find innovative ways of trying to secure infrastructure and as a Ministry, we are determined to wipe out this housing deficit” he added.

He also visited the dilapidated Cape Coast Ministries block which housed workers of the various Ministries, Departments and Agencies in the region to have first-hand assessment following concerns raised by the Regional minister.

Speaking on the state of the Cape Coast Ministries block, he expressed worry over the maintenance culture of the country and wondered why a building spanning 45 years had not seen any major renovations.

He said Government would take the necessary steps in the shortest possible time to renovate the building to make the place conducive for the workers who had sent many petitions to the Regional administration for its immediate renovation.

Mr Atta Akyea expressed the desire of the Government to focus on maintaining property and expressed concern that, “anything government is run down and neglected so we need to change it”.

The Minster was satisfied about the progress of work on the sea defence project and commended the contractor for finishing the first phase six months ahead of schedule.